About AJS

The Association for Jewish Studies is a learned society and professional organization whose mission is to advance research and teaching in Jewish Studies at colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher learning, and to foster greater understanding of Jewish Studies scholarship among the wider public.

Membership

With more than 1900 individual members and over 70 institutional members, the AJS provides an intellectual forum for university faculty, graduate students, independent scholars, museum and related professionals, and all those interested in the scholarly field of Jewish Studies.

Annual Conference

With more than 1100 attendees, over 190 sessions, a major book exhibit of leading publishers, cultural programming, and gala banquet, the AJS Conference is the largest annual gathering of Jewish Studies scholars in the world.

Publications & Research

The publications of AJS are leading forums for exploring Jewish studies scholarship and critical issues in Jewish studies methodology and pedagogy: its peer-reviewed scholarly journal AJS Review, its magazine AJS Perspectives, and its e-newsletter AJS News.

Special Events

Plenary and Gala Banquet

You are especially encouraged to join fellow AJS members for the Gala Banquet and Plenary Lecture on Sunday evening, December 17 at 7:15 PM. This year's Plenary Lecture will be delivered by Daniel Kurtzer, Professor in Middle Eastern Policy Studies at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson Institute and former United States Ambassador to Israel and to Egypt.

Theater Night

The Last Night of Ballyhoo at Theater J

Saturday, December 16 at 8pm

Enjoy a night at the theater with your fellow conference attendees. The year is 1939 and Atlanta’s posh German Jews are preparing for Ballyhoo, their annual lavish country club ball. The Freitag family hopes that the party of the year will be the chance for their daughters to meet their future husbands—but when their uncle brings home his new employee, a handsome Eastern European bachelor from Brooklyn, everyone must confront their own prejudices, desires, and beliefs. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Play, The Last Night of Ballyhoo is an achingly beautiful, comedic, and enthralling romance by the writer of Driving Miss Daisy.

Purchase tickets before November 15. Let us know any ADA compliance needs when you purchase your ticket. Transportation is not included.

Walking Tour

Walking Tour of Jewish Downtown Washington

Monday, December 18, 2017 10–11:30am

1.5 hours, 1 mile of walking

On this tour you will see four historic synagogues and several government buildings that help tell the story of Washington’s early Jewish community. Learn how the first Jewish Washingtonians lived, worked, and prayed in the neighborhood that today is Chinatown.

Professional Development Workshop

Just added for 2017!

Wednesday, December 20, 2017 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Thanks to generous funding, we are now able to extend the Annual Conference an extra day, adding an exciting day-long professional development workshop for members on a first-come, first-served basis. This workshop, taking place on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 from 9 AM – 3 PM at the Marriott Marquis in Washington DC, will feature expert academic and post-academic career consultants. Karen Kelsky, founder of The Professor Is In, and Kellee Weinhold, a productivity and communications consultant, will offer sessions on the art of public speaking, tips for academic book publishing, and writing productivity. This workshop is open to all AJS members. A registration fee of $25 will cover the cost of all sessions. Lunch will be provided. This workshop will sell out, so please register early! Log into MyAJS and select the Professional Development Workshop from the online store.